Jailed: Matthew Woods, 19, from Chorley, Lancashire, made a number of derogatory posts about April and missing Madeline McCann

A teenager has been jailed for 12 weeks after admitting making grossly offensive comments on his Facebook page about missing youngster April Jones.

Matthew Woods, 19, from Chorley, Lancashire, made a number of derogatory posts about April and missing Madeline McCann after getting the idea from a website that 'trades in sick jokes'.

Today he was sent to prison for three months amid a chorus of cheers and clapping across the courtroom.

The public gallery erupted while Woods choked back tears as JP Dr Bill
Hudson told him: 'This was a disgusting and despicable crime which the
bench find completely abhorrent.

'There
were words used and references made to the case in Wales and Madeline
McCann who went missing in Portugal some years ago were nothing less
than shocking.

'So much so no right thinking person in society should have communicated to them such distress.

'The
families of those children should not be subjected to any use of social
media like this. We should all be aware of the sensitivity of other
people and especially the family involved in such statements made on
Twitter, Facebook and such like.

'We felt there was no other sentence which would convey the abhorrence that many people have for this sort of crime.'

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April, five, disappeared a week ago today from near her home in Machynlleth, Wales. Mark Bridger, 46, is charged with her abduction and murder.

Among Woods' comments were: 'I woke up this morning in the back of a transit van with two beautiful little girls, I found April in a hopeless place.'

Jokes: Matthew Woods, 19, from Chorley,
Lancashire, made a number of derogatory posts about April, left, and missing
Madeleine McCann, right, who disappeared in 2007, after getting the idea from Sickipedia

Another read: 'Who in their right mind would abduct a ginger kid?'

Others stated 'I love April Jones' and 'Could have just started the greatest Facebook argument ever. April Fools, Who Wants Maddie?'

He also wrote comments of a sexually explicit nature about the five-year-old.

Woods also made offensive references to Madeleine McCann who went missing aged four in Portugal in 2007.

Chorley Magistrates’ Court heard members of the public were so upset about his postings that they reported them to the police.

A 'vigilante mob' of around 50 people later descended upon his home address and the defendant was arrested on Saturday night at a separate address for his own safety.

Woods realised the strength of
animosity over his postings after his own mother posted a Facebook
message saying: 'You should stop and think things out before opening ya
gob.'

He then left a message saying: 'Sorry to my friends and family that have been brought into all this.

'I’m
not a bad guy just took a joke to far I’ve apologised for what has been
said and there’s nothing more what I can do sop all this s*** really
aint going to sort anything nothing more to say on the matter apart from
sorry again.'

Martina Jay, prosecuting, said: 'When interviewed by police he fully admitted he posted messages about the two missing children.

'He
said he did it in a bid to make people think his account had been
hacked. He said it got out of hand and he was drunk while doing it.'

A police team carefully search land near Machynlleth, Mid Wales this afternoon for April Jones

Officers walk in slowly in a line across the rugged landscape looking for clues which could lead them to April

He conceded to police that his Facebook account - available to a large number of people - had not been hacked and that he was responsible for all the postings made on October 3 and 4.

Unemployed Woods entered a guilty plea to sending by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that is grossly offensive.

Police at the home of Mark Bridger, 46, this afternoon who appeared in court today charged with April's abduction and murder

After meeting his client for the first time, defending solicitor David Edwards told the bench: 'What struck me immediately is that the enormity of what he has done has finally sunk in.

'He did seem genuinely remorseful and regretful for what he had done. At the time he posted these comments not once did he think he would find himself where he is today.'

He said Woods got the idea for the posting from Sickipedia 'which basically trades in sick jokes'.

Mr Edwards added: 'He started receiving derogatory replies almost immediately and then came threats.

'The reality is that before long a number of people realised what he had done and sought him out.'

The solicitor said Woods explained what had started as a joke had gone wrong.

'He
realises this will have a profound effect on him,' he continued. 'With
the publicity that has followed he will be known as the man who made
these comments on Facebook.

He
has to live with this because of his stupidity. His future is
uncertain. He does not know whether he can go back to his home address.

'He
fully accepts he was the author of his own misfortune. Nothing like
this is going to happen again. He appreciates what he has done and puts
himself at the mercy of the court.'

A photograph of missing April adorns a door as police continue their search to find the five year old girl

He asked for a community service order to be considered but the bench was told that custody could be imposed for anyone who is convicted of using extreme language that causes substantial distress or fear to another.

The bench asked for a pre-sentence report from a probation officer and said it would keep all options open ahead of sentencing, which is set to take place from 2pm today.

The jail term was imposed just
hours after the same magistrates fined a man £100 and ordered him to pay
£100 compensation after he racially insulting a black woman.

The
woman had been driving her car in Chorley when she heard the defendant
directly shout at her: 'you black f****** c****'. When she stopped and
confronted him he screwed up a piece of paper and threw it at her face.